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Theodoric II, Duke of Lorraine

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Theodoric II
THEODERICUS D[EI] G[RATIA] DUX LOTH[RINGEN] ET MARCHIO
Duke of Lorraine
Reign1070–1115
PredecessorGerhard, Duke of Lorraine
SuccessorSimon I, Duke of Lorraine
Died(1115-12-30)30 December 1115
SpouseHedwig of Formbach
Gertrude of Flanders
IssueSimon I, Duke of Lorraine
Thierry, Count of Flanders
and more
HouseMetz
FatherGerhard
MotherHedwige of Namur

Theodoric II (died 30 December 1115), called the Valiant, was the Duke of Lorraine from 1070 to his death.[1] He was the son and successor of Gerhard and Hedwige of Namur. He is sometimes numbered Theodoric I if the Dukes of the House of Ardennes, who ruled in Upper Lorraine from 959 to 1033, are ignored in favour of the dukes of Lower Lorraine as predecessors of the later Dukes of Lorraine.

In fact, Sophia, the daughter of Duke Frederick II of the House of Ardennes, who had inherited the counties of Bar and Montbéliard, had a husband named Louis, who contested the succession. In order to receive the support of his brother, Theodoric gave his brother the County of Vaudémont and convened an assembly of nobles, who elected him duke over Louis. Soon Louis was dead, but his son, Theodoric II of Bar, claimed the succession anyway. However, Emperor Henry IV confirmed Theodoric the Valiant in the duchy. Probably, for this reason, Theodoric remained faithful to the emperors throughout his rule. He fought the Saxons while they were at war with the Emperor between 1070 and 1078 and he generally opposed the popes Gregory VII and Urban II when they were in conflict with the Emperor.

In 1095, he planned to take up the Cross (i.e., go on Crusade, specifically the First), but his ill health provoked him to drop out, nevertheless convincing his barons to go east. Thereafter, he took little part in imperial affairs, preferring not to intervene between Henry IV and his son Henry, or against Lothair of Supplinburg, duke of Saxony.

Marriage and children

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His first wife was Hedwig (died 1085 or 1090),[2] daughter of Frederick, count of Formbach. They married around 1075 and had the following issue:

His second wife was Gertrude of Flanders (c.1070–1117),[4] daughter of Robert I of Flanders and Gertrude of Saxony. She was the widow of Henry III, Count of Leuven (d. 1095), with four daughters. They married in 1106[4] and had:

See also

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References

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  1. ^ Kessler, P L. "Kingdoms of France – Lotharingia / Lorraine". historyfiles.co.uk. Retrieved 2016-11-12.
  2. ^ Bogdan 2007, p. 34.
  3. ^ Bogdan 2007, p. 34-35.
  4. ^ a b Bogdan 2007, p. 42.
  5. ^ Gislebertus of Mons 2005, p. 46-47.

Sources

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  • Bogdan, Henry (2007). La Lorraine des ducs (in French). Perrin.
  • Gislebertus of Mons (2005). Chronicle of Hainaut. Translated by Napran, Laura. The Boydell Press.
Theodoric II, Duke of Lorraine
House of Metz
 Died: 30 December 1115
Preceded by Duke of Lorraine
1070–1115 		Succeeded by
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